Pruning Techniques of Rhododendrons

Why are there so few flowers on my rhododendron? Have you ever asked yourself this question or just wondered if you should be pruning a shrub or tree a certain way. If you have, then this article is for you. The first tip of information you should know is that you can always trust a Horticulturalist trained in Pruning Techniques. A true Horticulturalist should be able to answer most, if not all, of your pruning questions on site. If unable, they will most definitely get back to you asap with an appropriate answer. A Rhododendron can handle very harsh pruning techniques, but must always be done appropriately and in the correct season. If a rhododendron is overgrown, unsightly and impeding on other plants, there is no need to worry about having to replace it, just have it pruned back to size. An initial pruning or rejuvenation pruning (as its called in the horticulture world) may be unsightly to begin with, but give the shrub a years worth of growth and it will be beautiful and manageable once again. Now, why didn’t my rhododendron flower so much or not at all this year? Reason being is that the shrub was pruned either too late or too early in the season and the new buds were pruned off. Maintenance pruning for a rhododendron must be done immediately after the flowers buds have been spent and before new growth has begun. The flower buds for next year begin to form immediately following the passing of this years flower buds, which then over winter on the shrub and burst open come spring time. To put it in a nutshell, hand prune the flower buds (called “trusses”) immediately after they are spent. This allows the plant to send nutrients to the new forming flower buds, rather than to the production of seed growth in the spent flower buds and will help create a more vibrant and healthy rhododendron for years to come.